SELECT

Jerrett watched his friend who seemed to struggle with his memories. “What did you find?”

Closing his eyes, as though trying to negate the truth of his memories, Marshall shuddered. “The water was scalding hot.”

“She burned him? On purpose?”

“I . . . believe so.”

“It wasn’t an accident?” Jerrett asked, clearly horrified.

“I might have believed it was an accident if it hadn’t been for the other problems and . . . well . . . if I hadn’t seen her face when I stepped into that room. There was a sort of malicious satisfaction in her countenance.”

“Oh, gracious Good One! What happened?”

“Broden’s screams were as loud as any I’ve ever heard.” Marshall went silent. A long minute passed. “Sometimes it seems like the sound of that scream still echoes through my mind.”

Jerrett looked away, granting his friend the privacy of his thoughts. “So then what?” he finally asked.

“I rushed in and grabbed the child. I ran to Rowena with him. Thank the Good One that her powers as the ranking member of the Select included some ability to heal. She immediately put the child at ease, but . . . Well, unfortunately, her powers weren’t sufficient to avoid the scars.”

“And that’s when you and Rowena sent him away?”

“Rowena either couldn’t or just didn’t want to believe that Lilith would have done any of those things on purpose. She always believed the best in people, and she treaded lightly around Lilith. I think she really wanted a better relationship with her.